Majority of GOP thinks Obama wants to impose Islamic Law?

Adam Serwer of the American Prospect is guest blogging on The Plum Line this week.

Sam Stein points to a startling number in a recent Newsweek poll showing that 52 percent of Republicans think the statement "Barack Obama sympathizes with the goals of Islamic fundamentalists who want to impose Islamic law around the world," is either "definitely" or "probably" true. It's a mistake to impart too much meaning to a single poll result, but this is still a pretty strange result -- and it may be a manifestation of what Julian Sanchez has termed "symbolic belief," simply saying you believe something as a matter of hyperbolic political expression, not because you really believe it.

However, I think the poll reflects, in part, the success of sustained efforts by conservative writers to make this exact case. This the "respectable" version of the "Obama is a secret Muslim smear," the argument that the president himself might not be Muslim, but that he sympathizes with "them." Since the sorts of people making this argument believe that Muslims are objectionable as a group, that's a problem. The poll result is also another example of the remarkable ability of the conservative base to hold two entirely contradictory impressions of a person at the same time -- on the one hand Obama is a social libertine who wants to teach sex ed to children, end discrimination against gays and lesbians in the armed forces and allow women unfettered access to abortion, and on the other he's part of a global conspiracy to institute a repressive interpretation of Islamic law that would prohibit all of those things.

The bottom line, though, is that Americans don't have a very good understanding of what Islamic law is. As several writers have pointed out since the once-fringe theory that American Muslims are part of a large-scale conspiracy to institute sharia law in the United States went mainstream, sharia, like any other system of religious belief, is given meaning by actual human beings, meaning that is subject to change and modernization. And as Edward E. Curtis IV explained in The Post this week, "Most mosques in America do not teach Islamic law for a simple reason: It's too complicated for the average believer and even for some imams." So it's highly unlikely that the 54 percent of Republicans who think Obama sympathizes with efforts to "impose Islamic Law" around the world know very much about it.

Still, it's clear that a number of conservative commentators have styled themselves experts, and their clumsy, alarmist interpretations have been imparted to their audiences. A recent Economist poll found that Republicans were not only more likely to say they know "some" or "a great deal" about Islam, they were also more likely to have an "unfavorable impression" of the religion.

So even if this is just a manifestation of "symbolic belief," it still reflects a frustrating trend of anti-Muslim bias. One thing that has to be said about The Onion, their timing with fake news is impeccable.

"and it may be a manifestation of what Julian Sanchez has termed "symbolic belief," simply saying you believe something as a matter of hyperbolic political expression, not because you really believe it."

Probably. It may also be a manifestation of a less-than-clear question. I mean, why not just ask: "Do you agree to disagree with the idea that Barack Obama sympathizes with the goals of people who have friends who support Islamic fundamentalists who want to impose Islamic law around the world but that they (the friends) don't agree with them (the Islamic fundamentalists) entirely, but disagrees with those people (the actual Islamic fundamentalists) strongly, meaning that Obama disagrees with them? Yes or no?"

What kind of subjective no-place-in-a-poll word is "sympathizes"? I sympathize with folks I think are wrong on certain issues. You can sympathize without agreeing, or without even being close to agreement. You can sympathize with advocates of a cause without sympathizing with the cause they advocate.

100% of Kevin Willis thinks these polling organizations want to start a holy war way more than Newt Gingrich or Sarah Palin. Sheesh.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why this story has any legs at all. Look. This was a poll. A poll for God's sake! America of late has been wallowing in these polls and I think all of this poll mania is getting dangerous.

When you see poll after poll that has negative results for Obama and the democrats, the danger is that the polls themselves start influencing people's behaviour. Take this poll for example: Red truthfully it says that 80% of Americans do not believe Obama to be a Muslim. Yet, one would think from how the media puff up this story that a majority of Americans believe it.

Maybe this is yet another standard poll question that will now become incorporated into every issue poll and you will see the number of Americans who believe Obama is a Muslim will creep upward every poll. Why? Because Americans have become little more than a big, fat, lazy herd of cattle who do not pay sufficient attention to what they see, hear or read.

Why are they not having this problem in Europe or Britain or Asia? Because their media aren't trying to pander to the most ignorant members of their society simply because that ignorant 20% or so just happen to be avid consumers of news and opinion but do not have sufficient quantities of brain cells to distinguish beteen what is "news" and what is just a trivial, made up story.

If the media were to cease doing all of these polls, I would bet you that the a poll taken six months later would yield drastically different results that what has become "conventional wisdom" now.

This is one hell of a way for the American people to be picking the people they want to represent them.

According to Jacob Zimmerman, member of the World Sufi Foundation, Monday night during evening prayers, cars drove by the mosque with people yelling obscenities and squealing tires—and gunshots were fired.

Zimmerman said when the 11 p.m. services ended, his friend David Bell heard something and ran to the bottom of the hill where a black SUV which had been harassing mosque members over recent days injured Bell in the hip and the mouth.

“It’s been going on for years,” Zimmerman said, “It’s never been taken seriously. It takes the police at least a half hour to get down here”.

Mosque members have just begun observing the holy month of Ramadan which is the ninth month of the Islamic year, observed as sacred with fasting and practiced daily from dawn to sunset.

We now have the Washington Post letting the Jounolist tell the public what Republicans think.

Jounolist is telling us what Republicans think!

The left does not think there is ANY legitimate reason for anybody to ever disagree with them. When the majority of the public does disagree with them, like now, they decide the majority of Americans are either bigots are so stupid that are they are controlled by some talking head on TV or the radio.

On the upside, as long they continue to call most of stupid, bigots they help will continue to elect Republicans.

I can understand the fear coming from the GOP. If Obama were to bring sharia law to America we'd have to carry out public stonings for John McCain, David Vitter, Larry Craig, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, John Ensign, Mark Sanford and a host of other right wing family values Republicans.

I think it's its much more simple than the blogger is making it out to be. Obama, by his own words and actions, has made clear references to his admiration for the Muslim faith. There's nothing inherently wrong with that. However, given this nation's history of squabbling about government staying out of the business of religion, it is questionable why Obama would go to such lengths to constantly praise Islam in light of the 2 wars he inherited in Muslim countries and the 3 new ones he has authorized. His statement, "The call to prayer is the most beautiful sound on earth," which he has repeated more than once when addressing Muslim audiences, makes Americans sit up and take notice. Does he state similar religious praise to Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist or Christian audiences? No. It's this singling out Islam for praise that Americans cannot reconcile with a neutral president. That being said, I don't know a single Dem, Indep, or Repub who thinks Obama wants Sharia Law in the US.

I admit that I'm no expert on Islamic law, but forgive me if all the beheading, stoning, and honor killing puts me off a bit.

Posted by: daveredhat | August 31, 2010 11:17 AM

..................

I hear you on that brother. That sort of stuff is so old testament and outdated.

When are they going to every learn from America, that Lynching of Black People, dragging them to their deaths, behind pickup trucks, bombing their children in Churches, or
Executions by lethal injections, or by remote controlled predator drone missiles, is far more effective, and family friendly.

When it comes to taking lives, those people need to adopt some Good Old American Know How.

you can tell a tree by the fruit it produces. People need to educate themselves and look at the reality of Sharia law and what impact it has on those countries that use the Sharia law.

Ask yourself, just how tolerant those countries are towards other religions, what is their human rights tract record, how much aid have muslim countries given to Pakistani victims of the floods?? or Haiti? or anyone else that suffered natural catastrophies for that matter.

For those in the gay comunity, see what kind of tolerance Sharia law has towards them.

The freedom we have here to disagree with our government is not allowed in those countries.

Lastly, if islam is a religion of peace, why do so many muslims kill other muslims, if that is the case??

Look for yourself see for yourself and think for yourself.. Where is the separation of church and state that so many liberals cry out about Christianity but is ok for islam?

This is the same Newsweek poll that found Dems and Reps tied in the generic ballot. Days later Gallup found the Reps to have a 10 point advantage. Does that make you wonder about data manipulation? It should.

Sharia is their culture, and we all learned in college that we have no right to criticize another culture. We only can criticize our own culture, which is what Obama does.

You can't compare the holocaust of the Arizona immigration law, which unbelievable lets State police officers do the same thing as Federal police officers, to the culturally sensitive Sharia law which only allows stoning and beheading and cutting off of limbs.

daveredhat - You can't tell the difference between cutting and pasting an article once and cutting and pasting the same exact comments (for which you, sadly, take credit) every single day?

It is not the same thing. Not even close.

If I cut and paste the same article every day on every thread, it still wouldn't be the same thing because I am not pretending the article in question is my work and because I am provdining a link showing the source material.

On MSNBC this morning, Press Secretary Roabert Gibbs added, "I think it's going to be interesting to hear from Republican leaders on where they stand on the decision to bring 90,000 troops home from Iraq."

It is hard to take this stuff too seriously. Afterall, the american education system does not rank high when compared to other nations. Math scores and reading scores are "average" as compared with other nations. Many jobs have been exported because americans cannot operate advanced manufacturing equipment. The Army has trouble recruiting educated soldiers. And certainly our political leaders would fail "Are you smarter than a 5th grader."

Thus, it is hard to swallow that these same uneducated americans could understand something like Islamic Law. Many CEOs have trouble with American Law. So how can a pollster claim americans would even understand the question? This poll business is unregulated, and does not stand up to a scientific correlated study. My father always said, "if you go down to the Grange Hall and ask 100 farmers a question, you will get 100 different answers."

For fun, it might be interesting to ask americans, if the POPE is a christian. How many of you reading this dribble, believe the POPE is the head of the catholic church?

Liam,
You seem to view Islamic rule as superior. Maybe thats were people get the idea that the left would favor it in this country.

Posted by: daveredhat | August 31, 2010 11:37 AM |

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>..

You seem to favor Lynching and Dragging People to their deaths, or executing them with Missiles, or lethal injections over: "Thou shalt not kill"

I am against all forms of murder. You are just in favor of how America slaughters people.

Yes the terrorists are homicidal sociopaths, but America invading Iraq, and causing the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Muslims, is not anything to be proud of either.

Yes, Saddam had chemical weapons at one time, because The Reagan Administration gave them to him, to use against Iran.

Republican loved that Homicidal psychopath, then.

When Desert Storm started, Bush One, urged the Iraqi people to rise up against Saddam. The Shiites heard that call and did rise. So what did Bush do next. He had our forces stand aside, and he let Saddam send helicopters, loaded with Chemical Weapons, to slaughter those very same Shiites, that Bush had persuaded to rebel.

America has even more innocent Muslim blood on it's hands, than those Al-Qaeda bastards, or all of Islam, has American blood on it's hands.

I condemn the terrorists, and all their slaughter of the innocents, but I am not going to let America off the hook either for it's long history of violent meddling in other lands.

Amazing how even within these comments, the discussion shifted to a debate over Sharia, which may be reasonable to have, from the initial point of the article, which is that a majority of Republicans think Obama wants to impose Sharia on Americans. Which is INSANE.

There is simply no reasonable justification for that belief. It can be attributed only to a deliberate and sustained campaign of disinformation about Obama, and the astounding gullibility and paranoia of a large segment of the electorate.

Obama nominee sees no "reason why sharia law would not be applied to govern a case in the United States"
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03302009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/obamas_most_perilous_legal_pick_161961.htm?page=0

...Koh claimed that "in an appropriate case, he didn't see any reason why sharia law would not be applied to govern a case in the United States."

It doesn't take a right wing media to show the American people how wrong we were to put Obama into office. You can't blame them when it's shown time and time again in the WaPo and other mainstream media what mistakes this administration is making. Suing Arizona for asking for a green card to verify status for a job? Refusing to fund border security? Ignoring the views of a majority of your own people to ram through universal health care against the wishes of your own people? Or TARP which was universally rejected by America and yet it was done. The failed policies of the democrats is what will get them booted out of office the honest way. We don't need right wing bloggers or radio personalities. The democrats are doing a fine job of showing us themselves.

Just because Bush and Cheney violated the Constitution and broke laws on torture, kidnapping, started a war against a country that had NOT attacked us, Iraq does not mean that President Obama is on the same level with them.

The fact that he trusts the Constitution to govern the nation is refreshing give the previous 8 years of neocon rules, I won't even say that Bush and Cheney ruled as republicans they didn't they ruled as mini dictators, made decisions like the oil laws behind closed doors and refused to even admit who was in the room. They even got mad when they lost at the Supreme Court on their right to detain people without habeas corpus so for a few people to claim a christian President as Obama is that in "fact he's a muslim" and wants Sharia law is just downright silly and malicious people like Beck need to be turned off, that drug adled man named Rush Limbaugh and Rove he belongs in prison for election fraud, outing a CIA agent crimes that other people would go to prison for, but not the Presidents favorite "turdblossom" If I remember my history right the Christians burnt the witches at Salem Mass or was that fiction?

OMG Thank you for helping to educate the ignorant who sometimes invade our blog.

As a former journalist one of the things I am most concerned about is attribution and sources. There is certainly a debate to be had about how journalists get the story...Woodward and Bernstein's unnamed sources in their reportage of Watergate certainly comes to mind...does the ends justify the means?

But one of the things that infuriates me here is when the loonies invade...spout opinion with absolutely no fact or CREDIBLE sources to back them up. I realize that this is an OPINION feature of WaPo but even the good oped writers around the country utilize sources and attribution in their opinion pieces to make their points.

Too many idiots here simply post their rants without anything but their loud mouths backing them up. Links are always appreciated...again from credible sources.

I think a large part of this is that Fox has masqueraded as a News Org when they are more properly identified as either an entertainment entity that tells people what they want to hear...or simply an outright propaganda vehicle to further their right wing agenda. Fox plays so loose and fast with facts...often putting up erroneously video...and rarely sourcing what they report that the people who are continually talking about things like journOlist...literally do not understand what journalism is supposed to be about.

And along those lines nisleib the point you were making with Dave is spot on...
I'm not sure he recognizes the difference between plagiarism and quoting and crediting another source.

Obama backed sharia law advocate Raila Odinga against American-ally Kenya President Mwai Kibaki. He was unequivocal in his support, going so far as bragging to his shills and sycophants in the media.
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/01/obamas_other_life.html

Obama was raised as a Muslim, then as an atheist. His only experience with Christianity was under Jeremiah Right.

Posted by: daveredhat | August 31, 2010 11:51 AM

.....................

And Jesus was raised as a Jew, and St. Paul used to persecute Christians, before he became one, so what is your point, other than to hint that our President is not Christian enough for you, or that Renowned Mormon, Glenn Beck!

That's a funny headline, it should actually read "Majority of GOP are ignorant fools", no question mark.

That's the only possible conclusion to be drawn for yet another silly poll. How is a man who drinks alcohol, eats pork, kisses his wife in public, and allows his daughters to run around in shorts and tank tops ever going to "impose Sharia Law"? Bah, please.

These folks are idiots, through and through; the question is why is the media, including this blog, indulging them at all?

It's time to revisit John Dean's "Conservatives without Conscience." He presents 50 years of research into Authoritarianism. I think we see this at play even more now than we did in the past.

There is a certain type who gravitate to Fox, Beck, Palin, the Tea Party, Conservatism.

Here's the American Heritage Medical Dictionary definition:

Authoritarian Personality

A personality pattern reflecting a desire for security, order, power, and status, with a desire for structured lines of authority, a conventional set of values or outlook, a demand for unquestioning obedience, and a tendency to be hostile toward or use as scapegoats individuals of minority or nontraditional groups.

John Dean has written several articles on the subject and in this one he applies the traits of Authoritarian leaders and followers to McCain/Palin.

Liam-still - Be careful Liam, nothing makes the wing nuts madder than a history lesson.

Besides, as has been noted today, the GOP is engaged in a full on "War on Reality." Facts just get in the way.

Also too, American Exceptionalism (except-them-ism?) means that everything America does is good no matter what. Why, when we torture people for the crime of being brown those torture victims aren't being tortured, they are going through a "fraternity initiation" hazing ritual. It is all fun and games. And those bombs we drop are expensive; the people they kill should be thanking us for spending so much money on them.

Now sit back and watch as the wing nuts call us anti American for telling the truth...

This thought provoking article brings up some excellent points, especially in regard to the seeming contradiction between some peoples' perception of Obama as libertine vs Obama as enabler of radical islam.

In regard to the latter, there IS some evidence that merits discussion in my view. Obama went to Kenya and actually campaigned for an opposition candidate (Odinga) while simultaneously campaigning for the presidency here. Odinga has established quite a track record for brutality and went so far as to sign a contract with muslim leaders establishing Sharia law in that minority muslim country, and setting up new rules that would shield religious extremists in that country from Kenyan or international law or extradition to other countries (such as ours) to answer for criminal acts such as terrorism or murder.It also curtails the rights of non-muslims in that 90 percent non-muslim country. This contract, signed by Odinga and muslim clerics, is available online here:

http://www.eakenya.org/AAEAKUpdate/RAILA_MUSLIM_MOU.pdf

The press appears to have largely given Obama a pass in the last election in regard to his support of and even campaigning for Odinga. The fact that Obama's brother (a muslim) is a member of Odinga's party and that Odinga himself claims to be Obama's uncle have also gone by the wayside amongst journalists.

The Odinga affair is not inconsequential. It involves bedrock principles such as maintenance of civil society, the rule of law, religious tolerance and freedom of religious expression, and denying havens to dangerous criminals. Don't forget: our embassy in Nairobi, Kenya was bombed by al-Qaida several years ago.

I believe that everything I have written is factual, and that it shows a clear picture of Obama's naivete toward and complicity with a particular muslim politician trampling the rights of non-muslims, instituting Sharia law in a minority muslim country, and providing a haven for terrorists there.

Does it matter whether Obama holds muslim beliefs? No. Are there instances out there where Obama's lack of insight based on his personal worldview are causing severe harm in our relations with dangerous parts of the world? No comment.

"...a recent Newsweek poll showing that 52 percent of Republicans think the statement "Barack Obama sympathizes with the goals of Islamic fundamentalists who want to impose Islamic law around the world," is either "definitely" or "probably" true."
---------------------------------------------

Catastrophic head trauma. It's the only explanation that makes any sense. I take this as proof that 52% of Republicans were dropped on their heads as children.

Obama is an (allegedly) apostate Muslim. Why shouldn't an (allegedly) apostate Muslim flaunt sharia law in hopes he can impose it on the rest of us? That behavior is known as "stealth jihad".

Those interested in a more scholarly analysis of the phenomenon should read "Stealth Jihad: How Radical Islam is Subverting America without Guns or Bombs" @
http://www.amazon.com/Stealth-Jihad-Radical-Subverting-America/dp/1596985569

Is he a practicing mulsim,probably not.
Was he born one, yes. His father was one and he attended a madras, where is religion was listed an islam and his citizenship was listed as Indonesian.

He clearly favors them. He held a rammadon dinner at the White House, has actively recrutied them into the government, including placement into national security positions. he forced the Pentagon to honor the same people that murdered my shipmates on 9/11 and let's not forget that even thought he was chummy with the Queen of England, we bowed to the mullim king of Saudi Arabia.

@meridian1: "from the initial point of the article, which is that a majority of Republicans think Obama wants to impose Sharia on Americans"

Actually, that's not the point of the article. The headline implies it, but that's not the question the poll was asking. Thus, if a majority of Republicans believe that Obama wants to impose sharia in America, that poll cannot answer that question, and the article really doesn't address that. To the degree that it arguably might, the poll question was atrociously worded, and the folks who did that poll ought to be ashamed of it.

ruk - Such a format change would be nice, as well as better policing of the blog. You know who does a good job of policing his blog? John Scalzi at Whatever. He rarely does politics though.

Mag 3 - You are just encouraging it to cut and paste more inane nonsense. I know the stupid burns and you want it gone, we all do, but the only person that can excise that "blog cancer" is Greg, and he won't do it.

People believe Obama is Muslim because he was a practicing Muslim. This matters because Obama is now what Islamic law calls a murtadd (apostate), an ex-Muslim converted to another religion-- who (under sharia law) is subject to the most severe penalties. Obama's apostate status clearly has enormous implications for his relationship with the Muslim world.

In sum: The cited evidence demonstrates that Obama was an irregularly practicing Muslim who rarely or occasionally prayed with his step-father in a mosque. This precisely substantiates the assertion that Obama for some years had a reasonably Muslim upbringing under the auspices of his Indonesian step-father.

Therefore, what Quislings consider a media falsehood is in fact confirmed by evidence as truthful and accurate. The fact that so few understand this about Obama is a testimony to the Obamedia puppets disinformation and denial campaigns.

Liberals have not previously been known for their tolerance of religion- until islam came along. Muslims have an abiding hate for Jews and their holy book makes that clear. One of the first things Muhammed did after arriving in Medina from Mecca was to murder 600 Jews. Islamic populations today are best characterized as illiterate masses who maintain women in a state of oppression. Jihad is not the invention of radicals- it has always motivated muslims to make war against those who do not accept allah. Liberals who are not known for their knowledge of history will dispute the above. All I can say is -look it up.

One disastrous effect of Obama's status as a Muslim apostate was the way it emboldens Islamo-supremacists.

Take the case of Kaddafi; who insists that Obama is a Muslim and hopes "that this black man will take pride in his African and Islamic identity... and that America will establish relations that will serve it well with other peoples, especially the Arabs."

And you are claiming that we invaded Iraq to liberate the persecuted people of Iraq?

Then why haven't we invaded Burma, since those people are being persecuted just a much, or not more, under Military tyrants. No oil in Burma.

Then why haven't we invaded N. Korea, since those people are being persecuted and starved to death under a dictator. No big oil reserves ,in N.Korea.

Oil in Iran got nationalized, and taken away from the Brits, by the duly elected government of Iran, so Eisenhower send in the CIA and the Marines to overthrow the elected government, and install the Puppet Shah, all for the Oil.

That is what created the opening for the Ayatollahs to eventually take over.

The Republicans installing a Dictator in Iran, is what caused the people of Iran to side with the Ayatollahs, and brought about today's Dictatorial Theocracy.

When America invades,to liberate the people of Burma, then I will be more open to the notion, that the invasion of Iraq, was not all about the Oil.

Republican even sided with The White Minority opressing the people of South Africa, and even opposed sanctions.

Amazing how Republicans only care about liberating people in Oil rich lands. If Kuwait did not have so much Oil, then Saddam would have been allowed to keep the place.

nisleib: "Mag 3 - You are just encouraging it to cut and paste more inane nonsense. I know the stupid burns and you want it gone, we all do, but the only person that can excise that "blog cancer" is Greg, and he won't do it."

You're right of course. As for Greg, I suspect he focuses so much on this nonsense because it provokes a passionate response from some quarters, therefore generates more clicks, etc. That may also be why he won't do anything to clean-up his blog. Just speculating.

Islam is a very dangerous political movement with a semi religious tinge to fool non-Muslims. Islam is not a religion of peace as clueless Bush II stated but a big stack of dead bodies daily. http://www.thereligionofpeace.com has the details.

Sharia law is barbaric. It is basic in their religion or that is what was in the On Faith article posted in this newspaper. Ask those two beautiful sisters shot to death in Lewisville, Texas by their father because he did not like their friends in a so called honor killing just how tolerant is sharia law. Or how about the man and woman stoned for adultery. Ask that little girl in the film of a sharia law stoning that could not have been more than eleven years old while these animals filmed it and put it on the internet. I saw her face and the desperation in her eyes. That is seared in my memory bank or life. I am not sure I cannot get over it.
There is no right wing conspiracy telling me how horrific this truly is. This is barbaric. If they wish to worship here fine but they should honor our laws. If not, stay in your own country. Don't give me this mumbo jumbo interfaith garbage. The Saudis do not allow Christian churches and Turkey will not allow Christian schools but they will lecture us on tolerance. Hogwash.

[tomsawyer2: "The statement by tacheronb that Obama campaigned for Odinga in Kenya is untrue."]

Snopes demonstrates no such thing. It lights a strawman to distract from the facts. It says nothing about the facts underlying the assertion that Obama campaigned for Odinga. In fact, the evidence demonstrates the converse.

Obama backed sharia law advocate Raila Odinga against American-ally Kenya President Mwai Kibaki. He was unequivocal in his support, going so far as bragging to his shills and sycophants in the media.
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/01/obamas_other_life.html

In case all you Right Wing Women's Right Activists, but only in Muslim lands, have not noticed:

Woman had much more equality and career opportunities, under the Brutal Saddam regime, than they have today, in the new improved Iraq, that Bush/Cheney brought about.

Of course; in pre-invasion Iraq, residents of Baghdad also had electric power, around the clock, compared to the new improved Bush/Cheney Baghdad, that still only averages power on, for five hours a day.

Yes indeed the surge worked, but the power doesn't, and the Women have lost their freedom.

Also, if you bother to follow the link posted by kaddaffidelendaest, you will see that Obama issued a statement calling for peace in Kenya, and did that at the express request of Condi Rice. (Herself being, of course, another noted Islamist.)

Liam-still, I think you are giving kaddaffidelendaesta too much credit. He apparently has a problem reading the words on the blogs he cites for evidence. This one, a Time blog from early 2008, says, "Rice asked Obama to tape a Voice of America message calling for calm. Obama taped the message on January 2, after a rally in Davenport, Iowa. He said, in part:

"Despite irregularities in the vote tabulation, now is not the time to throw that strong democracy away. Now is a time for President Kibaki, opposition leader Odinga, and all of Kenya's leaders to call for calm, to come together, and to start a political process to address peacefully the controversies that divide them. Now is the time for this terrible violence to end.
Kenya's long democratic journey has at times been difficult. But at critical moments, Kenyans have chosen unity and progress over division and disaster. The way forward is not through violence – it is through democracy, and the rule of law. To all of Kenya's people, I ask you to renew Kenya's democratic tradition, and to seek your dreams in peace."

Lest we get distracted, Americans think Obama is for sharia law because of his actions HERE... not just overseas.

Obama nominee sees no "reason why sharia law would not be applied to govern a case in the United States"
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03302009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/obamas_most_perilous_legal_pick_161961.htm?page=0

...Koh claimed that "in an appropriate case, he didn't see any reason why sharia law would not be applied to govern a case in the United States."

My god these teatards are dangerously stupid and ill-informed. I will never again look back on historical tragedies - genocides, pogroms, tyrannies, etc. - and ask myself "...how could people let this happen?" It's clear to me now, people are stupid and easy to manipulate and Americans are no different.

kaddaffidelendaest, let me explain. Sharia law is routinely used to decide cases in the United States. It has been used to decide cases for years. How is that possible, you ask? Well, we have something in this country called arbitration. Under arbitration, the parties can contractually agree to resolve their disputes in front of an arbitrator instead of a judge. If they do that, then the arbitrator's decision is final and unappealable (except for bribery and fraud). So, if two Islamic businesses want to enter into a contract with each other, and want to appoint an Islamic arbitrator, there is nothing to prevent them from doing that. (By the same token, two Christian businesses can agree to appoint a Christian arbitrator.) If there is an Islamic arbitrator there is nothing to stop him from applying Islamic law. And that decision will be upheld by the courts.

Here's another case in point. Let's say that there is a contract entered into in Pakistan under Pakistani law. Pakistan recognizes sharia. Now, if that case comes to court in the U.S. and the U.S. court decides that Pakistani law should apply, it will apply sharia law. (The same as it would apply German or Indian law in an appropriate case.)

These were the kinds of cases that Koh was talking about. He was just trying to make a factual point about what actually happens. He was saying there is nothing wrong with that, which under U.S. law there isn't. He wasn't saying that sharia law should govern divorces, marriages, etc., etc., in the U.S. The notion that the 2.5 million Muslims in this country will impose sharia law on their 300 million fellow citizens is just a right wing paranoid fantasy.

In spite of its vast economic wealth and financial affluence, first-rate educational institutions and its nearly unmatched advancement in science, technology, medicine, and political democracy, the US has one of the most ignorant [and by consequence the most gullible] citizenries on earth. Even when compared to much lesser developed democracies around the world, US citizens almost always lag behind in their knowledge of basic facts and information about geography, religion, history, culture and tradition.

Marry the situation above to an incessant hatred of a black man who, somehow out of all that was never ever expected to happen, managed to become president of the United States of America and you have a dangerous recipe for infinite stupidity. This stupidity is most manifest among die-hard right-wing republicans who are already naturally susceptible to hate anyone who does not fit their description of that which is “truly American”, namely white.

Another thing that is very characteristic of right-wing republicans is their propensity to transform naked bold-face lies into “believable truths” and use those lies to cause the entire nation to act in ways and manners that bring disgrace and shame in the future. Does anyone remember when the George W. Bush administration and his fellow republican nut cakes breathlessly bombarded this nation and the world with lies about Saddam Hussein’s collusion with Al Qaeda to commit the barbaric terrorist acts of September 11, 2001 and Saddam’s possession of weapons of mass destruction? Well, it did not take too long before 90% plus of the US population started to say that they agreed with the Bush administration’s claim that Iraq had WMDs and Saddam Hussein collaborated with the 9/11 terrorists. After more than 4, 400 American and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives were needlessly lost (to say nothing about the complete destruction of Iraq) the American public eventually learned what 90% of the rest of the world knew before March 20, 2003 – that George Bush, his administration and republicans lied and took the US to a senseless war of choice.

Let's just boil it down here Greg, Republicans are ignorant, bigoted savages and the Democrats are the Illuminati.

What needs to be done here is to rouse the tiny minority of liberals in the MSM to start expounding on the benefits and virtues of Sharia law so that the great unwashed become aware.

Frankly, most Americans, whether Republican, Democrat or Independent, don't give a rats adz about someone's religious beliefs unless those beliefs are shoved in their faces while demanding "tolerance".

While something may be constitutionally allowed, that thing is not necessarily in the best interests of all involved.

I have got to stop reading blogs and articles that use a question for a headline. Either you are reporting facts or stating your opinion, you cant have it both ways. As someone here already said 'sympathizes with' is not the same as Wants to impose", The author is a rabble-rouser and the poll question is written with a non-quantifiable biased.

Well our corrupt Democrat Party continues their "self-serving" service.........lol :

"WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson awarded eight scholarships last year to her grandsons and a top aide's children – bringing to 23 the number of awards she handed out since 2005 in violation of Congressional Black Caucus Foundation eligibility rules.

The Dallas Morning News reported Sunday that over the last five years, the Dallas DEMOCRAT has awarded up to $20,000 in 15 scholarships to two grandsons, two great-nephews, and aide Rod Givens' children between 2005 and 2008. The 2009 awards – reflected in a previously undisclosed list provided Monday by the foundation – push that above $25,000.

"While I am not ashamed of helping, I did not intentionally mean to violate any rules in the process," Johnson said in a written statement issued Monday night, after two days of national scrutiny and sniping from critics, including her campaign opponent. "To rectify this matter immediately, I will reimburse the funds by the end of this week."

She also pledged to change how she selects recipients for the scholarships."

...... in other words the next time she will do a better job of hiding it.......

FauxReal says:
"I see a lot of people on here using stoning as justification to hate Islam. I'll agree that it is a horrible way to die and awful that people in the community take an active part.
But the same people who condemn it seem to forget that stoning was common punishment in biblical times. There are numerous references in the Bible to stoning."

Hey FauxReal, people used to do a LOT of things hundreds or thousands of years ago that are pretty much frowned on in today's world.

This article/poll is nonsense. We Americans have really important challenges in which to focus our precious time; health care, education, environment, economy and available employment for those who chose to work. This article appears to be the usual disparaging mis information, scare tactics and wasted energy. Some people appear to have too much time on their hands and just need to get a hobby!

Obama backed sharia law advocate Raila Odinga against American-ally Kenya President Mwai Kibaki. He was unequivocal in his support, going so far as bragging to his shills and sycophants in the media.
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/01/obamas_other_life.html

It took me two minutes to pull up Hassan v. Holder, 604 F.3d 910 (6th Cir. 2010), in which sharia law was cited to determine whether two people were legally married. Here’s a quote. BTW, the vast majority of cases in which sharia law is applied to U.S.-based transactions are arbitrations, and one of the things about arbitration is that there is no public record. But anyhow, here is this one. I can cite about fifty more, if you like.

Mohammed Radwan Mardini, a Detroit-area imam who worked for the Michigan Department of Corrections and the American Muslim Center, testified as an expert witness regarding Muslim marriage customs. Mardini testified that Islamic marriages involve four steps, each of which must be completed before a marriage is considered finalized. The first step is called Al Fatha, and consists of the man and woman's families meeting and reading from the Koran. The second step is called Al Khuba, which is the engagement and includes the man giving the woman a ring. The third step is called Kateb al Ketab, which involves the parties drafting and signing a marriage contract, which would include the dowry terms and any other conditions placed on the marriage. Mardini testified that the father of one of the families is typically given a copy of the contract, and the contract is also filed with the Sharia court and the civil records department. The fourth and final step is the marriage celebration and the consummation of the marriage. This is the most important step in the marriage process and must be completed before the couple is considered married.

Fifty two percent of Republicans believe the president sympathizes with institution Sharia law? Big deal. I remember seeing every single tobacco executive swear that cigarets "are not addictive." When it comes to self-interest, people tend to lie.

Boehner and Paul Ryan endorse an economic plan that eliminates Medicare and privatizing Social Security, and has large tax cuts for the wealthy.

As a result it would actually make the budget deficit worse than it already is, and it would do so with a huge transfer of wealth to the richest people in America.

If "journalists" actually did their job and discussed the issues (instead of writing about gossip and the latest stupidity out of the mouths of morons like Glenn Beck), people would realize how horrible and crazy the GOP's plans are for America.

"Fifty two percent of Republicans believe the president sympathizes with institution Sharia law? Big deal. I remember seeing every single tobacco executive swear that cigarets "are not addictive." When it comes to self-interest, people tend to lie.

"..Keesvan wrote: Fifty two percent of Republicans believe the president sympathizes with institution Sharia law? Big deal. I remember seeing every single tobacco executive swear that cigarets "are not addictive." When it comes to self-interest, people tend to lie.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thats nothing! I saw Bawny Fwank and Maxine Waters explain to the whole world that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were rock solid institutions, in no danger of failing and, in fact, only needed more support and Federal money for their endeavors.

The strangest thing of all is that Neocommeis still believe it to this day!

I have no problem with criticizing the shortcomings of other cultures, as long as we criticize our own. History has shown that most cultures do tend to screw up, sometimes for religious reasons but more often for militaristic reasons.

What bothers me is the plague of paranoid stupidity that has overtaken much of our nation. Even if the 52% figure is an overestimate, and I'm not sure it is, way too many republicans are delusional and as a result fearful and hateful.

Why the delusions?

1) Because they have been brainwashed by the dishonest right-wing media. - particularly the ridiculous Fox "news", talk radio liars such as Limbaugh, and the many other hateful, manipulative pundits on the right.

2) Because the MSM is also complicit, refusing to call Fox and these other propagandists on their lies.

If people think Obama is sympathetic to islamic causes, that is because to an individual with an IQ of at least 60 that is what it appears. You insult that you feel we must be lectured or told what to think. i can make of my own mind with what I hear, what I see and what is exhibited. If people think Obama is muslim then he should not bow to despots. He certainly has not exhibited any Christian values. This administration has used trickery to pass bills, hides the bills, lies about the purpose, lies about the numbers, double talks, bribes for votes, closes dealerships that did not make payoffs to the DNC, lines the pockets of special interests and whose justice department of no or selected justice files suit on one of our states simply doing what the Feds should be doing to keep us safe. Sickening. If your words do not match your actions. people just tune you out. You are noise that is annoying and they hear but do not hear. Obama could worship a rock behind the door and it would not matter. He is political toast. And what arab leaders think? I could give a royal rats patooty what they think.

Actually, what the conservative, moral majority right wants is the Christian version of strict Sharia LAw, as Greg pointed out. Perfectly fair for liberals to point out the hypocrisy of our nation's Ayatollahs. Does Saudi Arabia have gays in the military? Israel does and we are supposed to stand with them. Time for Obama to point out these contradictions they are fair game.

Wow some fresh faces here...welcome to
erickaba...what a terrific post!!!
FauxReal...for pointing out the hypocrisy
TomSawyer..for providing links that show what we ALL already knew...Kaddaffi is a LIAR!!!

To all three...I hope you stay around and add some sanity to our discussion...and as someone who loves links (call me doubting Thomas) I appreciate the quick retort you posted, link included showing what a total buffoonish liar Kaddaffi.

Hang around though Tom and the rest and you'll get the chance to debate some worthy conservative adversaries...folks I certainly disagree with but who try to deal in the real world...they are largely embarrassed by the birthers, and Islamaphobes..and morons who believe Obama is Muslim. They tend to not populate these links because of that embarrassment..they tend to show up more on issues..you'll soon learn not to waste your time even reading kaddafi/rainforest/jaked and some of the other assorted wack jobs.

I'm not too surprise to hear and listen to these victimize Anglo GOPers make up stories about President Obama. It reminds me of the way white South Africans out here complained that Mandela was going to bring Communism to the country after blacks were being oppress for a nearly a century. It shows that America hasn't gotten use with a their first black President.

Sorry, but it's not dumb it's smart to be highly suspicious of Obama's honesty about being a Christian rather than Muslim. And it's not a Republican vs. Democrat thing either. Let's say he really were Muslim. That would not only mean he lied to the American People to get in office, but is lying every day of the week and twice on Sunday. It could also mean that he's a secret agent of a foreign Muslim power, putting his unprecedented bowing to Saudi king Abdullah, who presides over one of the most horrible Sharia regimes in the world in a new light. It could also mean he's trying to win a tactical victory for Allah in opening the long locked gates of the U.S. to the Muslim Trojan Horse as a prelude to Islamic takeover and Sharia in America, as they have done to country after country throughout history, especially proud secure ones who underestimate them. In answer to all this he plays the Dumb Act. Speaking of dumb, why does he keep giving glowing speeches painting Islam as the world's most perfect religion, while simultaneously claiming to be too dumb to embrace it? Maybe he thinks the American People have the word Dumba-- stamped on their foreheads. No, it's not dumb to keep the question open and stay suspicious, not that it can be proved in court that he's Muslim - yet . Meanwhile the Historyscoper offers the best free concentrated list of the pros and cons about Obama's beliefs at http://tinyurl.com/obamascope

On top of everything else from 911 to the more recent terrorist attempts, this is just another reason to oppose the establishment of more mosques in this country and to increasingly distrust the Islamics in our midst.

While bigotry and prejudice may be blind and unreasoning, you'd have to be both blind and unreasoning not to see the Islamic connection in all of this.

Islam is making war on the West and the United States in particular. If we don't wake up and confront this evil, it will destroy freedom and liberty throughout the world and a deeper darker age of barbarity will descend upon this world the likes of which have not even been hinted at since the rise of Nazism, Japanese Imperialism and Soviet Communism. Those will all look like child's play when compared to the world the Islamic believers envision for us all. The saddest part of all of this is the Neville Chamberlain like attitude of those in the political ruling class, particularly in Washington DC.

Does that ruling class want to impose Sharia Law in the U.S. or are they just power hungry and blind. I suspect the latter is more the case. Whatever is the truth, the simple fact is that the defense the political ruling class offers this country and their softness in dealing with Islam and the terror it spawns reminds me of that old proverbial King for whom it was noted by a child…”The King has no clothes!”

The ruling class in the U.S. has no defense against the Islam that is at war with Western Civilization.

How about if Americans instead of wallowing in "symbolic belief i.e. a form or hyperbolic political expression" engaged in dedicated "seeking of the truth?" Why is anyone surprised by the lack of connection between what they expect from our society and government versus what we get?
If people don't dedicate themselves to seeking the truth we won't get societal values that reflect it - its just that simple. Media and political operatives who fuel the crap in campaigns do it because voters don't exhibit behavior that's much better.

KaddafiDelendaEst, you are right.
Obama supporting his anti-U.S. Marxist cousin Raila Odinga was and is in the media worldwide.
Obama is achieving the dreams of his Marxist father ENSLAVING Kenyans with Sharia. As a Senator, he supported his anti-US Marxist cousin Odinga: youtube.com/watch?v=c6eVVVKFHu0

Odinga made a pact with the Muslims to force Sharia on Kenyans, although only 10% of them are Muslim.

Odinga’s followers killed about 1,000 people, mostly Christians, and burned Christian churches, including one with children inside: youtube.com/watch?v=WJ92W74knSg

We MUST NOT allow Obama to achieve the dreams of his father in the U.S.!

He is a Muslim..He sure wouldnt of supported a mosque on ground zero if he was a christain. An why has he spent $20 million in taxpayer money to keep his college records sealed. And why wont he show his birth certificate. And why was he trained in terrorism as a boy as a mossada in indianesia. He was also a well known drug dealer for the chicago mob. Listen to Fox news and Sean Hannity on ABC radio...wake up white people

Actually, the cited evidence is right. But thanks for supporting the facts that Leftists can't deny. You're a great American, Antonio.

Obama backed sharia law advocate Raila Odinga against American-ally Kenya President Mwai Kibaki. He was unequivocal in his support, going so far as bragging to his shills and sycophants in the media.
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/01/obamas_other_life.html

Obama was behind this constitutional change in Kenya in support of sharia law.

Moreover, Koh's nomination demonstrates that Obama supports institutionalizing sharia law in American courts (hit-tip for proving that point, Tom Sawyer).

Once again, a super-majority (+70%) of the American people demonstrate much better sense the media elites on the Islamo-supremacist desecration of Ground Zero. Educating Americans further will yield similar outrage on Obama's sharia law advocacy.

Obviously a lot of the posters here get their "news" from Fox. I wonder if they know that the second biggest shareholder of Fox is a Saudi prince who practices sharia law? Just thought they ought to know whos really playing the games with their heads. Rupert Murdoch the biggest owner was also a alien till repubs pushed his citizenship through so he could carry the right wing water for them. Wonder why some folks just cant connect the dots? Even if someone explains it to them.

Leave aside Obama's fanatical opposition to allowing Illinois hospitals to save the lives of babies with God-given souls inadvertently born alive during abortions. Also leave aside the fact that neither of his parents were Christians. And leave aside his current crop of "spiritual advisers," which is a collection of Mother Earth worshippers, polytheists and other nonbelievers.

Now rest from all that "leaving aside."

The only evidence for Obama's Christianity is that he faithfully attended the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's Trinity United Church of Christ for 20 years.

Yes, the guy bellowing "God damn America!" is the one vouching for Obama's Christianity. That's like saying you got sober with the help of your A.A. sponsor Lindsay Lohan.

The biggiest hurdle in the implementation of Sharia Law, will be "interest". The whole christian economic system is based on lending money on interest.(which is at present the prevaling system of international economic system). Interest base finincing is based on old Judish laws to take interest. Shaira law is not compatable with this interest base lending. The only way a Sharia law can be implemented if system is changed.

If by any remote possiblity Sharia law is implimented in this country, then all the mortages on home loans through out the country will become illegal and the owners of the houses will own houses free and clear, interest based student loans will be declared illegal and students will be free from loan overnight and so on and so on.

I believe Islam is the future of the world. Remember all the 60+ Muslim countries used to be either Christians, Hindus or had other religions. My bestimate is that Muslim world population is between 55-60 percent of total world population, and growing fast after 911. The 2nd lagest Mulsim country is India and third largest country with Muslim population is China. Pakistan and Turkey number after them. I think a Majestic mosque should be built right at zero and as a goodwill gesture Republicans (Including Sarah Palin) should pay the cost of the Mosque. Islam is reality of future and should be respected by its opponets.

Ansestors of all the present time Muslims originally were either Christians, Jewish or Hindu. Have you ever thought that why so big number of people of various religions are moving into Islam? Though international media spare no time to demonise Muslims. I will argue that there are Millions of nonMuslims who convert to Islam every year. I have very rarely heard of any Muslim ever converting back to Christianity, Judism or Hinduism Except PRESIDENT BARAK HUSSAIN OBAMA. Any thoughts about that phenominon?

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